We're All Mad Here
by easyl0ve
Summary: Locked up and thought dead by her family, Alice once again sets out to get her happiness back. An Evil Queen made it impossible for her to return, but she clearly underestimated Alice and her disregard for the word impossible. She can fight her way back, but what will be left of her life? Jefferson/Alice (OC loosely based on Carroll's classic) IF YOU WANT TO TAKE OVER, CONTACT ME!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I made the unfortunate mistake of watching Once Upon A Time, and then I was hit with this idea that I couldn't get out of my head. I am a huge fan of Carroll's books and their winding wordplay, and although I know I can't do that as well, I figured I wanted my shot at this so here it is. I have cool ideas for this, and I hope that I get some readers and some feedback. Thank you for giving this one a shot and I hope you enjoy. (Also, I obviously only own my own interpretations, not the characters themselves)**

**Chapter 1: A Pirate's Life for Me**

"Alice? Alice are you in here?" A rather large white rabbit in a waistcoat hopped up to my cell.

"You're late." I stood up from the cold floor and placed my hands on the bars.

"I know, I know. I apologize, dear Alice. Do you still wish to get out of here?"

"If only I knew where here is," I laughed. "But yes, friend, I should like to be free again."

Keys jingled in his hands, "How long was it here?"

"Five years of course. Here or there or anywhere, I'd imagine."

"Twenty years, Mrs. Alice. Twenty years for us."

Twenty years? I could feel my heart breaking. "And what of Grace? What of Jefferson?"

"They believed you dead the last time we spoke, but that was a long time ago." The door finally opened in a clang. I stepped out with a sigh. "You have barely changed, Mrs. Alice."

"And yet I have changed so much, Rabbit. I should have thought you wouldn't recognize me." He hopped down the stone steps in front of me and I followed. "I would like to see my family as soon as I can." We descended for a while and I began to feel the tears welling up; don't cry Alice. Crying is a silly thing.

"I am afraid it will take a long time. A long time indeed. I myself found you by chance, I should think it impossible to return." With a swing of the wooden door we stepped out onto the fresh green grass and the sun hit my face full on for the first time in a five years. I looked down at my striped stocking covered feet. This was where they belonged. Not on the unyielding stone, but on the squish of the grass. Setting off in the direction of the sun we stepped across the small patch of grass and into the forest.

"We all know what I think about impossible things." I stepped over a log and then helped him up after me. "Mr. Rabbit, where are we going?"

"They are in another world, not Wonderland, but somewhere else."

"Hmm, I do love a good riddle." I tapped my chin as we walked and hopped along. "Well, that's an easy one. There is only one way to get to a far away land." The trees were gradually becoming more spread apart and soon my fuzzy friend scurried ahead of me. "The sea." I stopped suddenly. There it was. My ticket back home. I looked down over the edge. The waves were crashing against the wall of the cliff. I held my hand above my eyes and scanned the coastline. "There," I pointed, "That port is where we will see exactly how possible impossible is." I smiled down at my friend.

"I should like to get back home, too." His nervous eyes looked up at me.

"Then we can't waste anymore time." I began to make my way along the cliff when a large grin appeared before me.

"Time with friends is never wasted. But my dear, you look as though you did waste away in that cell." The cat's body came into view.

"I should have known." I walked past him. "If you are coming too then hurry along. I don't want to keep Grace and Jefferson waiting any longer than they have to." And off we went towards the bustling port, on a whole new adventure.

-o0o-

When we entered the small town the first thing Rabbit had me do was get some shoes. 'A proper woman can't go running around with only stockings on her feet,' he said. After that it was off to the docks to see if we could catch a ride.

"Do you have any money?" the captain's rough voice sent the confidence from my bones.

I looked down at my shoes. We spent all of our money on the soft black leather boots. "No, Captain. But we need to get home. I haven't seen my daughter or my love in five years. I have to get there."

The leather-skinned bearded man leaned down to inspect me. "Can you work? Hoist a sail, man a crow's nest?" I nodded. He looked down at the White Rabbit and Cheshire Cat, "And they are with you I take it?" I nodded again. "I'll tell you what, you work for me, earn your keep, and then we will have a good talk about finding your home. And you aren't going to find another captain to take you, I promise you that."

"And why's that?"

"You're a lass, dear. And on these seas it can't hurt to be superstitious."

"Then I guess we have a deal." I held out my hand and he accepted. He brought me on board and had his first mate show me the ropes, both literally and in the figurative sense.

"If we didn't already have a mighty good cook I would say you should be suited for a kitchen." I furrowed my brow at his words. "But I suppose this'll do. Just keep your mouth shut and keep those critters out of my way." I nodded.

This was no ordinary ship, I came to find. This was, if fact, a pirate ship and in the course of a year and five months I myself became a pirate. I had only realized this one night while on duty in the crow's nest. Rabbit was curled up next to me and the crazy cat was floating along beside me like a soft breeze. "I don't remember who I was before this, friend."

"You're still Alice, and quite a bit more Alice than I have ever seen."

"I worry though, where does the time go? Will they still be there for me?" There was no response, just the silence. It's been so long, surely they would have forgotten. "I wonder if Grace has a new mom, or is a mom of her own now. Or if she likes tea just like me." Still no response. I looked over to see a rather obnoxious display of boredom by my whiskered friend.

"Were you talking to me? I'm sorry; I don't listen to such pitiful whining. If you must, wake up the bunny, he will surely worry with you." I sighed and kept silent for the rest of the night. I was glad to hear the bustle of my shipmates beneath me once more. It wasn't long before the sun washed over my still pale skin. I looked myself over as a break from eyeing the seas. My body now bore the marks of a sailor. The two swallows on either shoulder facing each other yet separated by my collarbone. They had forced these birds on me after my first 10,000 leagues, perhaps to lighten my suffering, but whenever I looked down I could only see Jefferson and Grace; the definition of my one true home. They hurt the least. The worst were the crosses on the bottoms of my feet. "It'll ward off the sharks if you ever fall overboard, deary." Considering I had fallen over twice, and have not once been eaten by a shark I took it that the marks were working. On the top of my right foot was a rather angry looking rooster, and I don't want to begin to tell you what that was about, nor the pig on my left knee. That night I was hesitant when the Captain required more ink be laid. "You can steer using the stars, you should be proud to wear these," he said just before he, himself, pushed the apparatus into my skin. The nautical stars on the inside of each forearm did make me feel proud. Alice the proud pirate, a sailing swashbuckler on these salty seas. More interesting was the overdue conversation we had after he washed the leftover ink from my skin.

"I think it is time we start to talk about getting you home, lass." I couldn't hide my smile from him. "I expect your man misses you something feirce, you pretty young thing."

"I miss him as well, Captain."

"And don't I know it. Watching you these past months, I could have sworn you were an arrow."

"I've never been an arrow, but I imagine it might be fun." He disregarded my statement and put more ink on the needle.

"Now give me your hands." I followed his order. The pains were quick and when he pulled back the words 'HOLD FAST' were printed across my knuckles. "Truer words were never written, my dear." He poured some water over my hands and cleaned the wounds. "We just need to make port one last time and let the other fellas choose if they will join us. We are going to go through some dangerous waters, I'm afraid." I couldn't help but feel the exact opposite feeling of fear run through me. Nothing was going to get in my way, not even the Red Queen could stop me now. "It will also give you a chance to make yourself a bit more presentable for your Grace." I looked down at my badly worn clothes and a giggle bubbled up out of me.

"I have no money, Captain, and thus no means of presenting myself in a more presentable fashion."

He laughed with me and set down a small pouch, "You have made me that fifty times over. It is no problem." I graciously smiled. "Now get up to that crow's nest and keep an eye out for trouble." I stood up immediately.

"Yes, Captain."

On my way up to the nest I grabbed some bread for the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat. And from my perch I peered out farther than I ever had before, so far I might've even seen home.


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you enjoy this story so far! Let me know what you think and thank you so much for reading and following and the one of you that favorited so far!**

2. Yo-ho, Yo-ho.

A week after my conversation with the Captain we made port. I walked the small town with legs that you might have thought were made of springs the way I hopped around, Rabbit and Cat in tow. Happiness was getting closer, and I could feel it in the very air I breathed. I stepped inside a small boutique.

"Excuse me?" My voice was small at first, but then it grew. "Excuse me?"

An older woman emerged from a back room and held up her hands at the sight of me, "Please don't hurt me, Miss! Take whatever you want, just don't hurt me."

I frowned at her reaction, "And why would I hurt you, shopkeeper?" I wonder if I really am a monstrous sight now, will Grace be scared of me as well? Jefferson surely wouldn't. He has always been braver than me.

She eyed my cutlass and pistol, both of which were shoved into my belt. "You're a pa-pa-pa…"

"Pirate?" The Cat smiled and crawled on top of a shelf. At the sound of his voice she nearly fainted.

"All I desire is a new outfit, not trouble or bloodshed," I held up the coin purse and jingled it, "And I intend to pay for it."

At the sight of the bag she calmed down, "What occasion is the outfit for, Miss Pirate?" She walked over me and began taking measurements at random.

"You can call me Alice." I smiled at her with all the friendliness I could muster. "And I am to see my family for the first time in a great while."

"A homecoming, how quaint." She eyed my boyish clothing, "And would you be liking pants or a dress like a lady should wear?" Her accusatory tone companied the cackle of the Cat.

"Pants would be fine, thanks. My journey is a long one, but I would still like to look," I paused, trying to think of the right way to put it.

"Feminine, Miss Alice?" The White Rabbit nervously smiled up at me.

"Yes, that's it! After all I can't go to see Jefferson dressed as a man. Or maybe I could, he'd find that most hilarious, wouldn't he?" I laughed.

"Your husband, Mrs. Alice?" The shopkeeper held up different colored buttoned vests to my skin.

"Not exactly, but he is my love."

She held up the darker powder blue one with black accents. "I think this is the right color, and we have a nice women's coat to match." She hastily walked into the back of the store only to emerge seconds later with a complete outfit and set it down before me. "Are you partial to the striped stockings?" I nodded, and she made another run to the back of the store.

"I still have another long trip overseas, is there any way I can get a suitcase for all this?"

"Once we have found your shoes." She placed a pair of black shoes down. Their slight heel and the slender band that went across the top of my foot reminded me of the shoes I wore when I first went to Wonderland, when I first met Jefferson.

I slid them on smoothly and walked around the shop. "I think these are perfect." The woman nodded as I took them off. Then into a suitcase it all went, wrapped in a black ribbon bow. I handed her the purse, "Is this enough?" She inspected it and handed me ten gold pieces back.

"Thank you for your patronage." She said we crossed over the threshold. On our way back to the ship I saw a teashop and couldn't resist picking out a few interesting blends for my return and placed them in the case alongside my other spoils.

-o0o-

I walked up the plank and onto the boat. "Are we ready Captain?"

"Yes, but I have one thing to attend to first. Crew, gather around." He stood on the top deck and my fellow sailors fell silent. "Our food stores are replenished and we are ready to sail the roughest sea any of us shall ever see." I laughed a little at that, "Unfortunately, my first mate decided he wasn't up for the challenge," the crowd roared with displeasure. "So I must now choose a new one, as our laws firmly state."

"Alice!" I heard from somewhere behind me.

"Yeah, choose Alice!" The man next to me yelled.

The Captain's arms went up to silence everyone, and a sly smile flickered on his lips. "This is a job for none other than the bravest sailor I know. There was only one logical thing to do, and that is to throw out all logic and pick Alice." There was a cheer as my face reddened. "Now get to work, we sail before nightfall." Everyone dispersed and I began walking to put away my things, "Alice, wait a minute." I looked up at the Captain. "For this journey you get the Captain's quarters." He gestured towards the doors on the deck.

"Are you sure, Captain?"

"Surer than shit," he slapped my back to push me forward. "Put your things away, including those critters, and get to crowing." I nodded and followed his orders. First Mate. I was a first mate. On a pirate ship. What a tale! Jefferson would never believe me.

After a month at sea the weather grew harsh, but the Captain kept pushing. So we kept pushing. Two months after that, in the wake of a particularly dreadful storm complete with typhoon and kraken and all a matter of hardship, I saw land in the distance. "Land ho, Captain!"

"Just what I was hoping you'd say!" We set course for it, and as we drew nearer it became apparent which land we were heading towards. "Are those bookshelves in the water? Or are my eyes fooling me?"

I slid down to the deck and looked over, "Those are indeed bookshelves. That can only mean one thing, Captain." The biggest smile since I was taken away spilled over my face, "Wonderland." The second I uttered the word the Rabbit and Cat were beside me.

"Wonderland is were I get off, honey. Wonderland is where a cat like me belongs."

"And don't I know it, and you Mr. Rabbit?"

"I would like to be with my family again, Mrs. Alice."

I bent down and scruffled the hare's hair. "I can't argue with that, dear friend." And within a day we had parted ways, the stores of the ship were stocked, and we were on our way once again.

"Well, Alice," my Captain stood beside me as I watched Wonderland fade away. "At least we know we're on the right course."

I nodded, "I'll be up in the nest for a while if you need me, Captain."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for reading, and let me know how you are liking it! I write faster and of a greater quantity when I get reviews. **

3: Solid Ground

The next three months were the worst months I have ever lived, and I never say that about any month or day or even year. The seas were rough and we lost two good men to the depths, but still our Captain led us on. Part of me wondered why he was so intent on sailing to the land where my family lived, but most of the time I was just happy that someone else wanted to get me there. I began to enjoy my nights in the nest; it made me feel like a mother bird flying home. But lately my thoughts of home scared me. Would I be forgotten? How long have I been gone if it time was different in each of the worlds? Sometimes in the night I could see the answers in the starlight, but most of the time I felt the worry.

One morning the Captain came into my chambers, "First Mate, I'd like a word with you."

I jumped out of bed and saluted. "Yes, Captain."

"Ol' One Eye Robinson swears he's seen a swallow just now, which means we are approaching a shoreline. I'd like you to take over his watch for the day, while I take the helm."

"Of course, Captain." I was almost out of the room before he stopped me.

"Alice, how long have you been away from your family?"

"For me it's been almost 7 years, but Rabbit said that the time for them is different."

"How long for them."

"Two of my years ago he said it would be around twenty years, Captain. If my math is correct, I should say around twenty-eight years." For the first time since I got on this boat I saw sadness in the Captain's eyes. "Don't be sad."

He nodded, but stopped me once more. "If you ever need a place, you are always welcome to be the first mate on my ship."

"I hope I don't have to test that offer, Captain." I walked out and made what would be my last climb to the crow's nest if all went smoothly.

-o0o-

The sun was high in the sky when the clouds rolled in and I caught a glimpse of the coast. "Land ho, Captain! We shall be there before the day is out." I smiled down at the hooked man.

"Excellent, full sail you sea dogs!" The crew ran around to their posts and began their work.

"What's that in the sky?" Ol' One Eye yelled to the Captain. We both looked in the direction he pointed. And there it was, the thing I once feared so greatly.

"Take cover! It's the Jabberwocky!"

All the men hid under whatever they could find, even the Captain jumped into an empty barrel. Scared. Scared of the claws that catch. It swooped down on the boat, its dark body larger than I expected. It landed next to a group of my shipmates who were hiding in the stacks of large boxes from storage. It snapped at them twice. And only twice.

"Jabberwocky!" I yelled from my perch. "Jabberwocky!" It turned its gaze towards me and I fired my one shot at its body, clipping a wing slightly. It beat its wings and began to fly up to my nest. I pulled the cutlass from my belt and before I could stop my self I jumped from my safe haven. The fall was short as I landed on the long neck: the perfect place for the jaws to snap at me. Then I began to hack through it. The blood that spilled from the fresh wounds that I was dealing was pure black. I would have gagged if I was not so intent on the mission at hand. It landed on the deck and I could tell I was beating it. It was getting weaker and I was getting stronger. With one last slice the neck was severed in two. I could hear my friends cheering.

Then something hit my back and I was flying. Flying. Flying overboard and into the waters. The second I landed the ocean surrounded me. For the longest time I couldn't remember which way was up or why I needed to go up for that matter. Then I realized my lungs were empty. Then I realized I was sinking. I began to kick wildly, and prayed that whichever direction I was going was the right one.

When I breached the surface I gasped. "Alice! Grab the rope Alice!" I searched for it, but the water kept spraying in my face. "To your left!" They yelled; I reached and there it was. I grabbed on tight and they pulled. Once I was on the deck I coughed out the water and looked up at the now clear sky. "You did it, you killed the beast!"

"Like I'd let that stop me." I breathed for a moment before I stood up and looked into the distance. "We're almost there." In an hour we pulled up to the dock and dropped anchor. There were people crowding the dock as I got off, my suitcase in clenched in my hand.

A rather fat but well-dressed man stood in front of the rest, "Who killed the Jabberwocky?"

The Captain walked down the plank and stood beside me, "This lass did, and saved the whole crew!"

The man walked up to me and shook my hand before throwing his arm around me, "Our hero!" There was a roar of applause and celebration, "And what is our heroine's name?

"Alice, Sir."

"Well, dear Alice, anything you need in our port is yours!" The crowd cheered again.

There was a crate to the side of the dock, which I quickly ran, and stood on, "Is this the lad where the Hatter and his daughter dwell?" Silence fell, "Jefferson is his name, and Grace is hers."

A voice came from the back, "It is! I know where they live!"

"Then I should like a map, and a horse. And I suppose provisions for the journey as well."

The fat man spoke once more, "Surely we can arrange all of that for you. You slayed the beast which has tormented us since the Dark Queen left these lands. Our hero!" The crowd cheered once more.

-o0o-

"So you have everything you need, Alice?" The Captain stayed with me throughout my time in the port to make sure I was taken care of, but I got the distinct feeling he really just didn't want to say goodbye.

"I do, they even gave me soap and perfumes!" I motioned to the saddlebags.

"Twenty-nine years." He put his hand on my shoulder, "We will stay in this port for a long while, just in case."

"Thank you, but it will be fine. Love transcends time, you know." He nodded and I started to mount the horse, "Goodbyes are a dreadful thing, my Captain, and I shouldn't like this to be one."

"Nor should I."

"Then it's settled. Hello, Captain." I smiled at him and hopped onto the horse's back.

"Pleased to meet ya, dear Alice." And with that I took off in the direction of my family; nervous and excited and glad to have come this far already.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hope you enjoy this chapter! A big thank you for reading, and please consider reviewing even if you have critical things to say! I need feedback, and I will be needing some in the chapters to come. Thank you!**

4: A Barren Wasteland

It took me two days to find the edge of the forest where the land turned barren. "What a curious thing, Horse. The map says a castle should be just over there, but there is nothing for as far as I can see." The horse neighed and I took it as an agreement. "Well, we shall take the long way I suppose." And on we went. At nights we would stop to eat and rest and in the mornings we would eat and continue on with our journey. After a week of this stop and go we were nearly there, just fifty of so more miles, but the thinning of the forest concerned me. "I should think the desert is spreading," I said to no one in particular when someone replied.

"No. It just gets worse as you get closer to where she cast it."

I looked towards the voice and found four women emerging from various hiding places. "Who cast what?"

"The Evil Queen," the palest one, with short dark hair spoke, "She cast a curse that sent everyone to Storybrooke."

"You speak of such silly things. What is your name?"

"Snow White."

"Ahh, I've heard of you once before, a long time ago." I smiled and gave a nod, "I am Alice."

"But Alice from Alice in Wonderland wasn't a pirate?" The taller blonde one spoke this time.

"I beg your pardon, but I do not claim to be in Wonderland, now do I? Wonderland is a completely different land, and I have sailed many months to go from there to here."

Snow White approached me, "Don't mind her, she was raised in a land that believes our lives are made up stories."

"Aren't they? A life is a story you make up yourself, is it not?"

She didn't respond for a minute or two. "Where are you headed, Alice?"

"I am going to see my family."

"In that direction?"

"Yes."

"They might not be there, they might still be in Storybrooke."

I took a swig from my water pouch, "That's an awful lot of mights, Snow White."

"How did you get here from Wonderland?" the tan woman in armor walked towards me.

"I came by boat. As your rude friend pointed out, I am a pirate. Or I was."

"So you can sail to other lands?"

"Of course. That seems like a rather stupid question, if you don't mind me saying." They began to talk amongst themselves for a minute before I interrupted them, "If that's all I best be going." I clicked my tongue and my companion began to walk once more.

"Wait, if your Alice then you must be looking for the Mad Hatter." The blonde one spoke again.

"Do you always say such rude things? He is no madder than you or I."

"But you're looking for Jefferson."

"How do you…"

"And Grace?"

"How do you know them if you aren't from these lands?" I pulled the gun from my belt and aimed it at her. I would never shoot it, nor do I recall reloading it after the bout with the winged beast.

"I met him."

"Then he is in this Storybrooke place?"

"I don't think so," Snow White stood in front of the rude woman. "He fell through the hat, he might be here now." The second she finished her sentence I kicked the horse and off we went, full speed. After two hours we both grew tired from the gallop. The thinning trees now were surrounding a small river. I stopped at the riverbed and let my horse drink. I refilled my water pouch and began to take off my clothes.

"If he is there, then he shouldn't want me to look like I crawled out of the sea, or smell like it." I unclipped the suitcase and put the soap to use. Then the perfume. Then I put on my special out fit and stowed the rags I had been wearing in the case along with my gun. "I might need this cutlass, though I should hope not my new friend." I placed my hand on the horse's face. "I'm worried." She nuzzled against my cheek. "We will go slow, so I can get my courage back. Besides, it's only two more miles now." I returned to my place on her back and we pushed forward once more. Every minute or so I glanced at my hands, HOLD FAST. "I want this more than anything in any of the worlds, why should I be afraid of a little bit of time? Surely Time has grown more fond of me since our last meeting." I though back to the day I met Time. He was a rather odd fellow, but there was something so steady and powerful about him that no one would dare cross him. We shared some words, though nothing major, but when we parted I had the distinct feeling that we were friends, and I am very rarely wrong about friends. I snapped out of my thoughts the moment the horse stopped, and looked up to see why she did.

A small cottage stood before me, just on the edge where the forest met the wasteland. The way its walls looked made me smile for some reason unbeknownst to me, but I kept smiling just the same. It took me a moment to see that there was smoke coming out of the chimney. My stomach then immediately transformed into a large rock that caused me to gasp and laugh (two things I try never to do at the same time) which made a strange noise. This noise, much like other silly noises, reminded me that I was being ridiculous. I got off of the horse, "Stay here for a bit until I find out where to keep you," then I pulled the suitcase from its place and walked confidently to the door. Breath in, breath out. I knocked. First my hand was unsure, but then I knocked louder, remembering this was my home after all. A few moments past and I raised my hand for another go just when it opened.

"Leave me alone, I am too busy for guests." And there he was, almost completely unchanged by the years. I stood there in silence, hand still poised to knock again. "If you aren't going to say anything, then…"

"Jefferson?"

"Yes?" I heard a tapping and looked down. His foot was tapping away, which meant only one thing for him, annoyance.

My heart began to beat very quickly, and I felt the tears coming. He had forgotten me? I looked into his eyes for just a moment, for that was all I could bear before the first tear escaped my eye. "Now, Alice, don't go crying again. You aren't a child anymore," I whispered. I wiped the tear away. "I have not come all this way for you to have forgotten me, Hatter." I wiped another tear.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you are. You need to leave," he began to shut the door.

"At least tell me the answer. How is a raven like a writing desk?" The door flew open and he stepped outside, inspecting me.

"Why do you say that?"

"Rabbit said you thought I was dead, but I was just locked away, far away." He stood once more in front of me, realization on his face.

"Alice?" I couldn't resist any longer. I threw my hands around his neck and planted my lips on his. He pushed me off, "You can't be Alice. Alice died almost thirty years ago. Even if she were alive she would be much older than you."

"For me it was seven." He began shaking his head, "Where is Grace? She will know it is me." He looked into my eyes, and I could see all kinds of madness that hadn't been there before, "Don't you go telling me you lost her. I asked one thing, one thing when she took me away. Keep her safe." With that he fell down.

"Alice," he began to cry, "Is that really you, Alice?"

I knelt beside him, "Let's go inside." I began to pick him up but he pulled me down onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. I didn't object, I just sat there and began to run my fingers through his hair. "Your hair is darker, and shorter." He looked up at me, "I like it." I kissed his forehead and stood up, "Let's have some tea."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5, here we go! Let me know what you think, and thank you for reading lovely people.**

5: Tall Tales

Jefferson's hands wouldn't stop shaking when he poured the tea; the clattering made me feel uneasy, but how could I complain at a time like this. Once he sat down I took a long sip. I looked around the cottage: fabric and hats everywhere.

"You're trying to get back to her," he looked up from his tea, "Don't worry, we'll get there."

A smile flickered and was gone, "I'd have thought you'd be angry at me for losing her."

"I'm not happy about it," I took another sip, "But I know you, remember." His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked at his cup. "You'd have only left if you had to, and you'd have tried your hardest to get her back. That's just who you are, Hatter."

"And who are you now?"

"I'm Alice, of course."

"But look at you, so much has changed." He was staring at me now.

"Not as much as you, old friend. But yes, time has changed me a bit. I was even a pirate." I finished my cup and went to sit on his lap. "Stop looking at me as if I am a ghost."

"You were dead." Disbelief was still all I could see in his eyes.

"I was locked away, not dead."

"They said you were dead."

I stood up, "Since when do you wear a scarf?" I grabbed the fabric and pulled it off. A scar. I walked around him. A scar around his whole throat. "Off with your head?"

"I guess it doesn't kill you." He let out a laugh.

I sat back down and wrapped my arms around him. "What happened to you, my love?" I rocked back and forth for a while before his arms wrapped around me too. "We will get her back, if I made it this far then the two of us together, well I expect we can do anything." I looked down at him, "Shall I tell you the story? It is quite a tale if I do say so myself." He nodded, and I began back with my initial incarceration all the way up through this happy reunion. I left no detail out, and seldom felt the need for embellishment.

"All of that just to get here?" He brushed the hair out of my face.

"And farther still to go, but I am glad you are with me now. Rabbit and Cat were nice enough, but I'm sorry to say they don't quite understand me like you do." I stood up and dragged my chair so I could still sit close enough to hold his hands, "Now I want to know what happened to you. You seem so different," I looked into his eyes, "but you don't look all that different."

"Well, it's very complicated."

"We have time, and I want to know." I took off my shoes and stockings, letting out a small groan of pleasure now that my feet were free.

"Alright then," he reached down and placed my feel in his lap and began to rub them, "Is that a rooster on your foot, Alice?" I nodded as he inspected the rest of my feet, "And crosses on the bottoms? Tsk Tsk," he shook his head.

"No more stalling, Jefferson. I want to know."

He nodded, "Well, for a while life was difficult, right after you died. I stopped being a Hatter and came out and lived here, I didn't make much in the way of money, but I got to spend most of my time with Grace."

"I'm sure she loved that."

"She would have liked it more if you were here too. But we made it through. Then the queen came to visit, and promised me that if I did one last job she would make sure Grace would want for nothing. I knew I had to, for her. So we took the hat to Wonderland,"

"The place where we met," I smiled. "Is it still as utterly confusing as it was then?"

"Even more so. People in boxes. The queen's father, Henry, was in a box, and she tricked me." He began rocking slightly, "Only as many as came can go. No more than that, and I was left there. I was left and the Other Queen got me. She did this," he pointed to the scar, "And made me work to make a new hat. One that worked. I spent so long there, sometimes it's like I still am in that castle."

His eyes seemed so far away then, I reached out to his now idle hands. "But what about Storybrooke?"

He snapped back and his face grew angry, "How do you know about Storybrooke?"

"Remember? I ran into those people in the woods, and they told me a bit about it."

"What people?"

"Finish the story and I will tell you all about it."

"What else is there to say? Then Regina cursed this land, but didn't forget about me, how could she? She just wants to torture me. She made it so I knew, I knew who I was and no one else did. Grace was there, but she was with some other family and had another name."

"Did you ever talk to her?"

"How could I? What would I even say?"

"Okay, but how did you get back here?"

"I tried for twenty eight years to make a hat that work, but none of them worked. There's no magic there, not until Emma Swan came to town."

"I think I met her, her and Snow White."

"Mother and daughter," he laughed. "Anyways, I kind of, well kidnapped is a bad word. Anyhow, Emma made a hat and now here I am."

"I'm glad you're here." I shifted and hugged him once more and we set to work making hats. Grace would be with us in no time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Just a tiny chapter for you guys during this busy week! Thank you for reading and feel free to review with good, bad, or ugly things! Also, I am more than open to suggestions as you have taken the time to read my little story and I feel that you should be rewarded! Enjoy.**

6: An Early Tea

I woke up late that day on the estate. The sun crept through the window and roused my just in time to find the small Grace at the foot of my bed.

"Where's Father? He said he would tell me a story."

I reached forward and pulled her in so she was resting on my stomach, "He has worked today, sweet child of mine." She pouted. I leaned down and whispered, "When the cat's away the mice shall play." I tickled her ferociously and she began to laugh. It was the most precious sound in the world. Ceasing I sat up and swung my feet out of bed, holding my baby in my arms. "If it's a story you want, then a story you shall have, munchkin. But first we must get dressed." Once that was all done we went out into the garden where the butler was setting up tea and finger sandwiches.

"Can I have tea too, Mama? Father always lets me have tea." She smiled up at me with those innocent eyes.

"You've gotten dangerously good at lying, Grace. Either that or I'll need to have a word with your father when he gets back." We sat down before I poured her a cup of milk. "Drink up and I will tell you a story; my favorite story."

She hastily drank her milk and showed me the empty cup afterwards, "What's the story called?"

"Hmm, come to think of it I don't think it has a name. Most of the best stories don't, you know." I took a sip from my teacup. "There was once a young woman named Alice…"

"That's your name." She smiled excitedly at me.

"Want to know a secret," she nodded and we leaned towards each other, "This story is actually about me." She clapped a few times with a giggle and waited for me to continue. "Well, Alice was a good child, always drank her milk and did her chores. She even did well in school when she could pay attention, which wasn't that often. One day Alice was reading in the garden when something caught her eye. A white rabbit was bouncing through the brush quickly, the whole while looking at his watch and talking about how late he was going to be."

"But rabbits don't talk."

"This one did. He even had his own little waistcoat with pockets and everything." Grace smiled wider at this. "Alice couldn't believe this, so she decided to follow him, if only to investigate the strange occurrence. While she was following him she saw him drop down into a rabbit-hole. And you know what she did?" Grace shook her head, "She jumped right down there with him. She fell for minutes on end before she landed in another garden; only this one had tall toadstools that she couldn't even see over! She followed the rabbit a bit longer before she couldn't see him anymore. He was a fast rabbit, to say the least. And what should appear before her on that road?"

"What?"

"A floating cat!"

"Cats don't float."

"In Wonderland they do." I gave her a nod and took another sip of tea. "And they say silly things, too. The cat wasn't the nicest cat, but he did send Alice to a tea party"

"Like the ones I have with Father?"

"Exactly like those." I touched her nose with my index finger and she laughed. "So Alice went to the party and do you know who was there?"

"Papa?"

"Right again, Grace. And the best thing happened then." I paused and she kept looking at me, hoping for me to continue. "Alice and the Hatter fell in love. So in love that Alice refused to leave his side. And after a very long time, it seemed, they had a daughter. Their daughter was the most kind and beautiful girl in the entire world and do you know what they named her?"

"Grace!" She threw her hands up.

I nodded, "And they lived happily ever after."


	7. Chapter 7

**Been a bit, but don't worry. I haven't forgotten you! Here's a little something.**

7: We Must Be Off

"Calm down. Calm down. We'll figure it out." I put my hand on his to stop the shaking. "Do you remember how you got it to work last time?"

"Emma." I stood up and began packing a bag with all the supplies necessary to make a hat.

"Then there is no time to waste." He stopped me, "She is here, and all we have to do is find her. Then she can make the hat and we can go to Grace."

"It's not that simple."

"Yes it is." I resumed packing.

"No, it isn't. The hat will only let the same amount of people come back as go."

"Then we'll stay there."

"It's a world without magic!" he knocked the bag from my hands. "You don't know what that's like."

I picked up the bag slowly, "Where do you think I came from, Hatter? Where do you think I lived before the rabbit hole?" His eyes were blank when I looked into them, "I know it's not a magical place," I stuffed a few more things in the bag, "but we'll be a family again. Or is magic worth more than that to you?"

"How could you ask me that?"

"Time's changed you, you forgot me. How am I supposed to know what matters to you now?"

We stood in silence for far longer than I could count, just staring. A stalemate. I didn't falter, I just stared, stared until he turned and began to pack as well. "Where did you last see them?"

"I think I pointed them in the direction of the harbor. We can make it there quick if we cut across the desert."

"No one crosses the desert."

"Well, there's a first time for everything." I peered out the window at the horse. "Should be able to carry both of us fine."

"What if it doesn't work? What if she can't help us?"

"Negative negative Neal, a man who lost his zeal. I'll tell you how, he'd meant to bow, but slipped on a 'nana peal." I started to douse the fire, "I swear you were no where near this pessimistic when we first met."


End file.
